'One Church' Model as Yeast

The Nicene and Apostle's creed both have a line that affirms belief in the holy catholic church and if we read it too quickly then we overlook the mystery of that phrase.

I was reminded not long ago in a meeting with church leaders the meanings of these words.

holy - set apart

catholic - throughout the whole

church - the body that comes together in order to be sent out

If the point of the church is to be sent out, then why would it come together to begin with? Some might even call this a paradox others might see this is really inefficient. If the point is to be sent out, then are we not going against the point when we come together? Many of us see the benefits of coming together in order to be sent out and are not hung up by this paradox. However, fewer of us are able to reconcile the paradox of something that is both set apart and throughout the whole.

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Photo by Drew Coffman on Unsplash

We like to think that we are able to hold two ideas in our heads at the same time and give them equal weight. We like to think that we do not privilege one side over the other. We like to think that we are able to hold the paradox, but more often than not we will place one position over the other. Despite our inability to hold paradoxes, we continue to try because we know that life is never one or the other, but full of contradictions and paradoxes.

For instance, are you a parent or a child? What color is the dress? What do you hear? Maybe the most basic paradox – "this sentence is false."

The divisions in the church these days might be understood as our unwillingness to attempt to hold these tensions together. Some elevate the role of the church as holy (set apart and different) while others elevate the role of the church as catholic (though out the whole or sometimes understood as universal).

You may recall that Jesus attempted to address this paradox of being set apart and through out the whole by speaking of yeast. Yeast is different form the whole and yet in order for yeast to function it has to be through out the whole batch.

The UMC faces a number of decisions in February 2019 around how to include LGBTQIA+ people in the church. It seems to me that the option that is most like the church as yeast is what is called the "One Church Model." This model gives decisions about ordination and marriage to the most local body able to make the decision. Conferences decide who they are going to ordain as it is now, pastors decide who they are going to marry as it is now, and churches decide what types of ceremonies are allowed on church property now.

If we allow the the decision of how to include LGBTQIA+ persons to be spread through out the whole of the church then, paradoxically and mysteriously, the yeast retains its holiness. It seems clear to me that if the status quo remains or if there is a dramatic change in the current stance, then we move closer to being holy OR catholic.

This is one more reason why I believe the "One Church model" not only is in line with the creeds, but is in line with our historical and Wesleyan tradition of affirming the holy, catholic church.

Valendy Thumb

Rev. Jason Valendy

The Rev. Jason Valendy, along wih his wife the Rev. Estee Valendy, serves as co-pastor of Saginaw United Methodist Church in Saginaw, Texas. This post is republished with permission from his blog, JasonValendy.net.

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Comments (5)

A Wesleyan view of One Church model

"John Wesley did not believe Methodism could exist apart from clarity about what holy living looked like.

So, how have we gotten here? How can any United Methodist say with any credibility that the solution to the denominational crisis related to gay marriage is to agree to disagree, to do one thing in some places and the opposite in other places?

I wonder if one of the greatest threats to contemporary Methodism is the idea that we can have meaningful unity without agreement on holy living, that such incoherence and confusion is a kind of virtue, a form of tolerance and charity. The truth is that there can be no meaningful unity for the people called Methodists apart from a shared commitment to a specific vision for holy living, which inevitably includes sexual ethics.

An attempt to be unified as Methodists by intentionally rejecting the possibility of unity around holy living is at the same time an abandonment of Methodism itself."https://vitalpiety.com/2018/06/08/holiness-is-essential-to-our-unity-umc/

The entire article is an accurate Wesleyan understanding of the General Rules and the catholic spirit. The responses to this article are also a good read.

betsy65 days ago

The United Methodist Church is not catholic

It is only one small part of the much larger catholic/universal church that holds some core beliefs in common but allows different denominations to embrace beliefs that are unique to just them. The United Methodist Church is a unique denomination within the much larger holy catholic/universal Church. Just one more understanding fueling the great divide that the United Methodist Church has become. As for me, I am tired of the muddle and the never ending discussion. The United Methodist Church needs to stop fiddling with Christianity and embrace something! The Bishops are greatly underestimating the frustration of laity.

betsy66 days ago

One Church Model Furthers Bigotry

It is not possible for a GLBT member to survive in a Church that fails to receive him with love.

The One Church model allows bigotry and bullying to continue. I have waited 58 years to see the UMC extend the love of Christ to me. I will not remain in the church if any portion of the UMC is permitted to continue to bully me.

Ben67 days ago

Bullying?

I don't think it's 'bullying' to adhere to the actual Biblical teachings on homosexuality. John 8 gives us a great example on how to interact with someone caught up in sexual immorality. After saving the adulteress from stoning, Christ told the woman that he would not condemn her, but that she to "go and sin no more". I think the same approach should be applied to this situation: we as a church must not condemn homosexuality - for we are all sinners; but neither should we shy away from insisting that those engaging in homosexual acts 'sin no more'.

Michael Lubes64 days ago

Holy

As you pointed out, to be holy is to be set apart, different. Jesus calls us to be different than society, to follow him. All the letters to the churches included in the Bible are to churches embracing what society is doing and not following Jesus. We cannot have unity and do our own thing and it is incredible for anyone to think so. The one church plan promotes disunity.

Carl69 days ago

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